by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
How can filmmakers shake up the superhero genre? We have been inundated with so many comic book adaptations that it is hard to keep everything straight at this point. We have the MCU, whatever DC is doing, and plenty of other smaller comics getting turned into cinematic projects. But comics are not the only root for new hero tales. Julius Avery proves that with his latest film coming to Amazon through MGM, Samaritan. This is a story centered around the mythos of a long believed to be deceased hero. One boy tries to prove his existence and bring him back to the forefront of Granite City. His name… Samaritan.
How does Avery make his latest film stick out amongst so many superhero narratives? This one is all about the tone. This is not a flashy and fun romp. This is not an overly serious greyscale DC offering. Like his previous work, Overlord, Samaritan is a dark yet funny experience with quite the edge. There is brutal violence, some curse words, and a hard edge that creates a sense of cool. Not many films in the genre have such a tone, and it feels fresh and exciting. Some scenes feel a tad ambitious for the effects budget, but the action is solid and has more weight than a lot of other films.
But does the story match up to this cool tone? Not quite. Where the tone feels fresh, most of the narrative feels tired and overdone. The antagonists are flat and just mean and evil for the sake of it. This makes the experience and conflict a lot less interesting. The young kid and aged hero dynamic is solid, if not overly familiar (we have seen this done before and done better). There are a few ideas thrown around that are not fully fleshed out, like inspiring the populace, the mother-son dynamic, and media obsession with conspiracy theories (thanks to Martin Starr’s character who obsesses over Samaritan). But this film also has some serious surprises up its sleeve and it truly delivers. The way it subverts your expectations is quite impressive.
How are the actors? Sylvester Stallone is tough, brutish, and charismatic as this rugged garbageman who turns out to be more than meets the eye. Stallone brings a needed intensity that is refreshing and impactful, which is something we have not seen from him in a long time. He is legitimately intimidating, and that adds a lot of gravitas to his screen presence. Our young protagonist (Javon Walton) does a solid job with what he needs to do with this film. Though, one big frustration is the lack of ability to make Pilou Asbaek interesting. He is such an interesting performer and that does not seem to translate in his American roles.
Is Samaritan a worthwhile superhero experience? Avery adds enough flair to make this a brutish good fun. The edge goes a long way in making this more entertaining. Avery’s film gives Stallone a chance to really flex his tough guy persona on screen, and it is plenty of fun to take in. Outside of some legitimate surprises at key points in the story, it is still something that we have experienced before. But this is a fun and enjoyable flick to stream over on Amazon.
Score: 6/10
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